Clerks II

[baumer]

Discuss

[baumer]

It is amazing how Kevin Smith can successfully blend crass-humor, intellectual musings, and a heartfelt drama all together into one movie! Absolutely amazing.The dialog Kevin Smith writes is impressive. The homages throughout the film were great without being blatant. They are recognizable to the true Clerks and Askewniverse fans, without being in your face obvious: "Hey look at me! I'm a reference to Dogma! I'm a reference to Clerks, etc." When Clerks II returns to a similar topic from Clerks, it does so without recycling the previous. Instead, it maintains the aura, steps it up a notch, and drives it home with bases loaded.Biggest props to Mr. Smith: making the sequel in real time: not 5 years later, or 7 years later, but actually 11 years later, like it should be. Characters and time have progressed at the same rate as the audience's lives as if we left the Quick Stop in 1995, went to another state, then came back to Mooby's 11 years later to check on the gang. Classy.9/10

Edited September 20, 2012 by Expendable baumer

[Master Scottb]

I thought I was the only one who liked this movie and thought it was on par and in some cases better than the first. I really enjoyed the Star Wars vs LOTR scene, and Randall/Dante racism debate.9/10

[baumer]

The great thing about these characters is that they are true to their roots. I loved the jail scene where Jay and Bob tell them they can lend them the money. Very touching.

[Master Scottb]

The great thing about these characters is that they are true to their roots. I loved the jail scene where Jay and Bob tell them they can lend them the money. Very touching.

Yup, and everything kind of came full circle. The Quick Stop was back and Jay and Silent Bob were back hanging out there like the first movie.

[MagnetMan]

I'm a huge fan of Smith (especially after getting to know him through SModcast), and I've always found so much heart in his work. I constantly defend "Jersey Girl" to my in-the-know friends who love to bash that film. And Clerks II is, to me, much better than the original. I felt the characters are better directed, better developed and better portrayed. Simply due to the maturation of all the people involved with the production.

[baumer]

Yep. Exactly. Brilliant on Smith's part. Also very cool to see him get all his friends make cameos in the film...Affleck, Damon, Lee, Adams and so on.

[baumer]

I'm a huge fan of Smith (especially after getting to know him through SModcast), and I've always found so much heart in his work. I constantly defend "Jersey Girl" to my in-the-know friends who love to bash that film. And Clerks II is, to me, much better than the original. I felt the characters are better directed, better developed and better portrayed. Simply due to the maturation of all the people involved with the production.

I do think it's easier to flesh things out when you have 5 million to play with instead of $27,000.

[baumer]

Wasn't Damn in this? I could have swore he had a cameo.

[MagnetMan]

Damon had a cameo in "Jersey Girl" when Affleck had an interview with PR company - after he blew up concerning Fresh Prince of Bel Air at the Planet Hollywood. They brought him in just say they met the guy who had committed career suicide over Will Smith. It was Damon and "Dante" playing the interviewers.

[baumer]

Damn...thanks for clearing that up.

[SchumacherFTW]

This is my favourite smith film bar none. The story's simple and very much in line with the original, and the added characters are great. Any scene where Randall taunts Elias is pure gold. Plus the rings vs wars debate, the donkey show, the jail cell, basically the whole damn movie is gold. Better than clerks in my humble opinion.A

[Maxmoser3]

The first movie was fantastic as it used black & white, and very funny relatable characters and great lines of dialogue and quite some memorable scenes. 

 

12 years later, Clerks II proves to be a solid comedy sequel that avoids the curse and proves to be just as good as the original. Dante & Randall are still likable and relatable characters, and are now working at fast food restaurant Mooby's. But it's Dante's last day as his fiancé (played by Smith's wife in real life) wants him to move to Florida and work with her father. But Dante gets some bumps in the road as his boss played by Rosario Dawson is in love with him and Randall doesn't want him to leave. 

 

The chemistry between Halloran and Anderson is still excellent after 12 years, and the romance between Halloran and Rosario Dawson was believable and didn't feel forced. Jay & Silent Bob's silly antics still shine especially the "Goodbye Horses" scene.

 

Clerks II proves to be a fun funny sequel, and was sadly Kevin Smith's last really good movie.

 

A-